Interview With Channel 7 News Anchor Craig Stevens
by Bill Cooke Craig Stevens is one half of the longest running TV news duo in Miami. Along with Belkys Nerey, he co-anchors WSVN Channel 7 News at 5pm, 6pm, 10 and 11pm. Stevens was born in New Bedford, Mass. His father’s work took the family to Cleveland, Chicago, and San Francisco. When Stevens was just 10 his father died and the family moved back to Massachusetts. “I was raised for the most part in Falmouth… on the Cape,” says Stevens. Getting in the biz Stevens began his broadcast career with a job in the mailroom at NBC NEWS in Washington in 1987. By election night 1988, and while still a sophomore in college, he had worked his way up to a job as a full-time assignment desk assistant in the NBC newsroom. During his time in Washington he broadened his experience by working on the “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw,” “Today,” and “Meet the Press” as a production assistant. Stevens graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1990 with a major in print journalism and a minor in history. That same year, Stevens moved south, spending two years as a reporter and substitute anchor at the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers. Moving up to the Big Leagues Two years later he joined WSVN, just a few months before Hurricane Andrew hit South Miami-Dade. In his almost 20 years at WSVN, Stevens has covered the Oklahoma City bombing, local and national politics, including the disputed 2000 Presidential Election from Austin, Texas. He has also covered the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace and the manhunt for Versace’s killer, Andrew Cunanan. Also on Stevens’ resume are Pope John Paul II’s visits to Cuba and the United States, the death of John F. Kennedy , Jr., the Elian Gonzalez saga, and Fidel Castro’s visit to the United Nations. Trading life on the beat for the anchor chair In 1997 Stevens left Channel 7 for a two-year stint as a weekend anchor at WSVN’s sister station in Boston, WHDH. He returned to WSVN in 1999. Back in Miami, Stevens began anchoring weekends and the 5:30 and 6:30 newscasts. In May 2001, he became the station’s main anchor. MiamiBeach411.com recently asked Stevens about his most memorable stories and favorite books, movies and South Florida haunts. Can you tell us about some of the more memorable stories you’ve covered over the years in South Florida? There are so many, a couple stand out from near the beginning of my time here: Hurricane Andrew still ranks right up there. I’d only been here a few months, and up to that point had NO idea the impact a major storm like that could have. I have a healthy respect for them now. The Cuban migration crisis of the early 90s… really put a “face” on a story I’d long been interested in even before living in South Florida. I had the opportunity to report from the island three times… talk about a front row seat on what was happening! Name some of the people, who, in your opinion, have had the greatest impact on Miami and South Florida? These days I credit virtually anybody in public service . Of course it’s my job to shine light on those who misstep and get into trouble. And there have been plenty. *But* there are countless, and in most cases, nameless others who do the work diligently and honestly. So much of culture as Florida residents is built on property taxes, and what state government hands back to us. These past few years have been awful in that regard, *forcing* leaders to make tough budgetary choices. Yet police still work to keep us safe, firefighters put out fires, administrators still run schools, teachers teach and so on. The people, who in this economic environment, who keep that happening day in, and day out, deserve respect.. and recognition. Is there anyone in South Florida you’ve wanted to do a story on or interview but haven’t yet? Athalie Range. I’ve always been interested in her story, from civil rights leader to politician. She passed away a few years ago, I wish I’d have had heard firsthand her experiences on the front lines of the civil rights fight. What newspapers and magazines do you read regularly? Miami Herald. The Sun Sentinel. New York Times (though mainly Sundays) Boston Globe/Herald and The Cape Cod Times (I like to keep up with what’s happening at home) Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Architectual Digest, TV Week, and a few I’m sure I can’t remember… I get tons of magazines at my house! What was the last book you read? Ted
See the original post here:
Interview With Channel 7 News Anchor Craig Stevens
No comments yet.